Contents

Character History

In the high school cafeteria, a jock sticks out his foot and trips Ren Metzger, who spills his food all over. The jock, full of himself, takes pride in his mean-spirited accomplishment. Ren takes solace in thinking of the jock's home life, imagining that he is afraid of his daddy, "shakin' in [his] cleats" because he'll receive an automatic beating at home.

Crash is with his fellow athletes in the boy's locker room, preparing to leave from football practice. When the others are leaving, someone asks if he's coming with them. Crash replies that he still has to hit the head. Betty then creates an illusion of a devilish version of Crash's father which appears to Crash. The illusion torments him for playing bad defense on the field and slacking off. It claims that it should have drowned him at birth and that it never loved him. Later, other high school students gossip that Coach Marboro found Crash in the locker room having gone insane. Some purport that he is braindead.

After convening the Homecoming pep rally, a high school administrator takes a moment to recognize the two tragedies that have occurred in the past two days. He says that the thoughts and prayers of the school are with the families of Arthur "Crash" Campbell and Ren Metzger.